Bruders&Schwesters: Coming Home
by Lunetaylina
Summary: The Beilschmidt-Edelstein-Zwingli family are dealing with the loss of Aldric Beilschmidt and the secrets uncovered by his death, most notable the discovery of Berwald Oxenstierna, a son he never spoke about and his husband, Tino Väinämöinen.
1. Letter from AuthorDisclaimer

**Letter from the Author/Disclaimer**

* * *

Dear Readers,

I know it's been a long while since I've updated anything and I have come a long way from the thirteen year-old that first signed up for this site. Now, I'm not telling you about an ending but hopefully a new beginning.

I now don't have all the time in the world, not that many authors on this site do unlike the readers that keep up writing despite blocks and uncomfortable circumstances. I do marching band, concert band, geology club, GSA, color guard, indoor percussion and I have a job; so I have obviously given up some part of my life somewhere along the line. Where? That is a question it took a while admit to myself.

At thirteen all I cared about was _**NARUTO**_, I've followed it for seven years when I first came across it on Cartoon Network in fourth grade. And although Neji's death as me boiling and has killed my sister OTP _**NARUTO**_ will always be a part of me. So in the coming year of 2014 I've planned to restart and rediscover my drive to continue **Just a** **Romance**, and rewrite and relearn my plot line for **The Homecoming**. Of course, with these in the work I don't think **Labels** (NejiTen) will launch and I might keep **Story of** **Us** (ShikaTema) as a one-shot, at least for the time being.

At fifteen, _**Axis Powers Hetalia**_ caught my attention with the historical twist, and that's what this story is. An AU of the Germanic family after the death of Germania.

And at seventeen, I plan to reinvent myself to someone that is committed to her writing just as she is in everything she does.

Updates might not come regularly but they will happen and I hope they do become regularly. Like every Wednesday or somewhere in the middle of the week because I know I needed something to get me through the rest of the week when I was a reader.

Without further-ado, _**Hetalia**_ does not belong to me. _**Axis Powers Hetalia**_ and every character related to it were written by _Hidekazu Himaruya_; published by _Gentosha_ and _Tokyopop_ and _Right Stuf_. _**Brothers & Sisters**_ was created and produced by _Jon Robin_ _Baitz_ and aired on _ABC_ from September 24, 2006 to May 8, 2011.

Sincerely/Love/Best wishes/Thank you,

Lunetaylina


	2. Surprise Party

**Surprise Party**

* * *

"_I wanna rock! –Rock!- I wanna rock! –Rock!- I want to-"_

A platinum blonde poked her head out from under blue-grey covers with a groan. She blinked several times, adjusting to the dull light, before she reached out to find her cellphone.

_**Ludwig Beilschmidt.**_

Juliane Beilschmidt shot a look at the lump lying in her bed before sliding her thumb across the screen and throwing her legs over the edge of the bed. Tugging her nightgown down as if her baby brother was able to see her, "He-" she flinched and shot another look to see if she had disturbed the man, "Hey, Lutz."

"_Why are you whispering?_" there was a squeak from him leaning into his chair, then there was an intake of breath. "_… Are you with someone, right now? Julie, is it Mathieu? You're supposed to be on a flight in four hours. Have you even started packing? Dad is expecting you to-_"

"Attend my birthday party that I haven't wanted for years."

"_He hasn't seen you for a year_."

"Because he tossed me out on my ass when I told him I didn't want to practice." Juliane muttered as she tiptoed toward the bathroom.

"_He put you though med-school and then you decide not to use what you learned. What was he supposed to do when you said you were going to be a stay-at-home?_"

"Be happy I actually found someone that wants to take care of me," her voice sounded louder in the pristine white bathroom, she sat herself on the marble edge of the tub.

"_He's a hock_-"

"So what if he's a hockey player? He has a law degree too. He takes care of me, Ludwig, isn't that what a brother wants for his sister."

"_But he's my age."_

"Yes, okay, yeah, he's twenty-eight but age seriously doesn't play a factor in our relationship of four years. I mean other than our daddy-baby play." She smirked at the sounds Ludwig was making. "It's not like I'm robbing the cradle here. He's successful jockey player, who treats me right and who is sleeping in the next room because he got home late from a game where he got punched in the face for protecting his friend."

"_You're not bringing him to your birthday party, are you_?" Ludwig asked.

If anything that comment made Juliane fume more, "No, he's not coming despite my endless pleading to. It's my party, he's my boyfriend and he should come if he likes. Vati doesn't have a say in who I see or who I screw. By the way, next time vati wants to throw me birthday party make sure he tells us before he books the flight. I'd like Mat to be there."

"_Um, hey, okay, bye, Julie."_

"Bye, Lutz, love you." She snapped the phone close and held it to her chest. She loved her family like no other but they could be annoying. Calling her in the early morning when they know all she wanted to be was sleep in with her boyfriend before he goes to practice, setting up impromptu dates whenever they were in town.

When she finally left the bathroom Mathieu's chest was uncovered and he was playing with his phone on the nightstand, the muscles in his arms flex at movement.

"Did I-" she tossed her untamed hair from her face. "Did I wake you?"

"You were kind of yelling at your brother in the bathroom at one in the morning." The sleepy blonde explained placing his cell back on the table.

Juliane crawled back into bed, straddling her boyfriend and placing apologetic kisses along his face and neck, "I'm sorry, Birdie. I know you had a long night."

"Humph, its fine, Jul. I know how chaotic your family is, lord knows mine is too." He said pulling her flat against his chest. "Besides if it gets you to apologize like this I don't really mind."

Mathieu Williams-Jones-Kirkland-Bonnefoy, who went by Mathieu Williams Kirkland-Bonnefoy or Bonnefoy on his jersey. Thank God that he was in her life. He was patient, kind, loved her and was everything she could have dreamed on since they met at that Starbucks Café near Noho four years ago. He put up with her family even when she couldn't. Why they hated him so, she would never understand.

She pulled the sheet down, meeting his eyes pecking his collar bone, "If Lutz know about this he'd come for my head. I'm supposed to be packing."

"Done," Mathieu stated without hesitation and bunching her gown. "I packed for you yesterday before the game. Bag are in the closest and your birthday present in hidden inside one of them."

"And this is why I keep you around." Juliane said continuing her path.

"_I wanna rock! –Rock!-"_

"Oh my fucking God, why can't they leave me alone for a single minute?" Julaine shouted snatching her phone from the mattress. "I should answer it and leave it on so they can hear us go at it."

_**Roderick Edelstein.**_

Mathieu shook his head. Aldric and the boys would have his head and send his penis to his parents as an apology, "Just answer it."

Juliane pressed the phone to her ear in a huff, "What the fuck do you want, Roderick!?"

"_Oh, I just cock-blocked you, didn't I? No, anyways, what time do I pick you up tomorrow?_" The eldest brother asked with an underlining laugh.

-_beep_-

_**Vash Zwingli.**_

"It's Vash, I'm going party line," she announced, sliding down to sit on the edge of the bed. Mathieu followed her with legs on either side. "Hey, Vash."

"_Don't listen to a single word the dipshit says, I'm picking you_ _up_." The second oldest said. "_And tell you're boy toy to keep his sausage in his pants._"

Mathieu froze in pressing kisses on her shoulder.

"You're so lucky I'm not there." She stated slamming her forehead into her hand. "Where are you at anyways, Vash?"

"_At lunch. With Roderick_."

She could practically see them. The both of them across and reclining away from each other with glares etched onto their features.

"Well, at least you're talking to each other. How's Liz, Rod?" she tried to sound pleasant.

"_She's fine, I mean we'd thought it'd be a miracle after Hartwig; she's on bed rest. But she's fine and so it the baby._"

"_Maybe if she wasn't stressed all the time."_

Juliane rolled her eyes, tossing her head back against Mathieu's shoulder.

"_Vash, she almost miscarriage, a little compassion-_"

"_She has all my love, it's you who need to pull his head out of his ass to realize she is your wife and she is pregnant with a three year old running around in the house_."

"_Which is exactly why Hartwig is in daycare until I can get my schedule changed._"

"_You shouldn't need to have to apply for a schedule change-_"

"Okay, alright, look. I appreciate the offer but Vash, I think El was hoping you'd pick her up. So I'll see Roderick at the airport and you at home. And next time don't drag me into one of your debates. By the way, I expect fifty percent of what was bet. Bye, kisses." She hung up. "Assholes. I can't even get laid before I start the worst week of my life."

"Look at it this way, at least you'll be in sunny California instead of sad winter driven New York."

"Yes because I love being away from you." She muttered.

* * *

The airport bustled around the new arrival. She stood on her toes in an attempt to see over the heads of passers. After a lot of urging Mathieu finally got her to board the plane without having to run back to him. Skype sex was sure to be amazing as it always is with Juliane on one end but he would be a whole country away from her.

"Julie!"

And that was where her nightmare begun.

Roderick Edelstein was the oldest of five children. At thirty-five he was vice-president of the Bedlina Law firm, family owned, with a wife, Elizaveta Edelstein. Once Hedervary when she was just Juliane's best friend in childhood. He had a son, Hartwig, who took after his grandfather and uncle in the looks department, thank god, and a daughter, Felicia, on the way.

It wasn't that Juliane hated her family. She loved them dearly but they were just so tight knit it got frustrating a lot of the time. Roderick and she were close, not as close as she and Ludwig but still pretty close. He just pressed the wrong buttons when he felt more superior to her because of his musical talent that got him a full ride scholarship. Or that he was married with a house and a mortgage and an income.

"You made it. I thought you were going to leave me to be picked up by random strangers." Juliane stated throwing arms around the man. "I would've had to tell Liz, she might be prego but she could still kick your sorry ass without getting up."

The brunette laughed uneasily because out of anything Juliane tended to spout off that one of the truths, "Do you mind if you pick up Hartwig before heading to vati's? I got off early to pick you up, I can at least put him out of his misery."

"Still not warming up to the kids." She followed him down the sidewalk. "I would have thought he was Lutz's kid if you hadn't sent me the birthing video. By the way, thanks for that. Mathieu had no idea what to do when I started scream and trying to claw my eyes out, mostly because he ran for the door when he saw the computer screen. Thanks. We didn't have sex for a month because it so thanks. You're a cock-block whether you're there or not."

Roderick would be lying he said he wasn't proud of it. No one, whether they were on speaking terms or not, wanted to think about their sisters having sex with any man. If any of them had it their way Elise wouldn't have gone off to college and Juliane would still be living in California.

He loaded her luggage into the trunk his Claret Mica GX Lexus, "We're going to pick up Hartwig, then we're going to drop you off at the hotel. I don't know why you don't just stay at dads-"

"Because he's prude and I'd never be able to Skype sex with my boyfriend, who I'm madly in love, not that he knows it."

"-We're still going to dads after the hotel, right? Because I'm under strict orders, well, first don't forget to pick up Hartwig-"

"Yeah," Julaine said nodding along although she was checking her phone. "Yeah."

"Then to get you to dad's- which I don't know why you don't just stay there-"

"Because if I know Mat-" she roll her eyes to land on her brother. "-And I _know_ Mat. He's going to show up and surprise me for my birthday and I want a room that isn't next door to Ludwig's or Vati's because I tend to be loud… So, has Vati said anything at all?"

"Besides a "Gold Digging Cougar" last night?" Roderich asked climbing into his SUV.

"Then you don't want to be the only one there when I see dad." Juliane stated.

Roderick seemed to weigh the statement, "I'm hoping if a child is in the room then it won't get as-"

"Messy?"

"Loud."

* * *

Juliane let herself into the home cautiously, wrapping her arms around herself briefly as she took in her childhood home. Nothing changed.

A strong built man came down the stairs, pausing when he sees the girl he grew up with. He paused to smooth his hair back, "Julie!"

"Hey, Lutz," Juliane said unwrapping herself and welcoming her brother's hug. "Look at you, someone needs to lay off the steroids, son."

Ludwig Beilschmidt was the youngest brother in the family, lawyer at the family company. Strong built, blue eyes, blonde hair; the striking replica of their father. 33 years-old no long relationships, except for on and off one night stands with a couple of people he went to Harvard with. Ludwig was closest to Juliane by far.

"Hello to you, Prince of Prussia." Ludwig said hugging his sister back. "You look like you finally grew up."

Juliane pulls away, kicked her strap heels up, "Thanks, I surprised Birdy in these and-"

"I don't need you sex life detail." The lawyers pulled away with his older sister laughing at his blush.

Juliane muttered when her heel stomps a bit too loudly, "Damn it, how's Vati? Is he here?"

Around the corner to the kitchen, Aldric Beilschmidt downed the rest of his wine and made his appearance, "Oh, course I'm here, Juliane."

Juliane pretended to be happy to see her father, faking it until she made it, "Hey, Vater."

The stood there staring at each other for a while. In the past years Aldric hardly knew his eldest daughter. She could have been a successful doctor in California if she hadn't met that boyfriend in New York. She was still his little girl and he was going to hug her.

"You look…" and there goes the warm feeling. "Wonderful."

"Thanks," Juliane muttered sweeping her hair from her face. '_You think I belong on a pole.'_

"You could use a little sun," Aldric stated patting her pale cheek. "Maybe some raisins or something…" there was a tenseness. "How's the hotel?"

"… Fine… Good, it's great." Juliane said shuffling on her feet and glancing down. Why did her father always make her feel small? "Yeah, ah, Mathieu helped me pick it out. Not one near the beach, in a room not facing the morning sun." _'I can't go out in the sun without getting burned, vati.'_

"Good, so raisins?" he made a quick retreat.

Ludwig and Juliane shared a wordless conversation. That had been awkward.

"Julie," Ludwig said as they made their way into the kitchen. "I… You're still seeing Mathieu."

"And you hate the fact that I'm seeing someone your age, Lutz. But you'll do anything to avoid conflict on my birthday. So no yelling about my private life." She finishes by hoping into a bar chair.

"Who's going to be yelling?"

Juliane shifted a look at her father, who rummaged through cupboards to avoid conversation too soon.

"Well, it's complicated."

"Don't be too sure," Aldric said with a box of raisins set in front of his daughter.

The backdoor opened and Vash comes in through the wine closest, "Juliane's getting you drunk already?"

Vash Zwingli was the second of five, loved the youngest much more than anyone else in the family and another lawyer at Bedlina, just under Roderick. Blonde shoulder length hair, blue eyes but definitely not like Ludwig or their father. Well, in reality Aldric wasn't Roderick's, Vash's or Elise's biological father but instead raised them through tragic circumstances.

"No," Juliane mocked shocked. "No, no, no," she jumped down and hugged Vash despite his refusel. "They're getting me drunk."

Elise wandered in behind her older brother, brightening the moment she saw her older sister, "Hey, someone's going to get hurt."

The youngest, the baby, Elise Zwingli was a pretty thing. Short blonde hair, blue eyes, it was a surprise that she was still single at 22. Lilli was attending Dartmouth for medicine. She was everyone's favorite, if questioned.

"Oh, Missy Lil," Juliane wrapped a tight hug around her little sister.

"Don't Missy Lil me. If you hadn't heard I've been legal age for a while, I have a gun packed away and warranted." Elise said kicking up her brown leather pumps as Juliane spun her around. "And I caught you're boyfriend on Sportscenter last night, great right hook."

"God help us, the Righties are starting." Vash muttered pulling the wine bottle from his father.

"Well, Vash, before you know it some guy is going to steal your other sister."

"Not that I would be opposed." Elise said rounding the counter and throwing her arms around Aldric. "Nice to see you, daddy."

"So gorgeous," Aldric said. "How's Big Green going?"

"Well, I'm mostly in the library all day…"

"Margaritas?" Juliane questioned. "Alfred taught me how to do this and Mat refuses to let me drink alone."

"Who'd Alfred?" Ludwig asked watching his sister dig through the freezer for ice.

Juliane hesitated, "Ah… Mat's brother. He's a veteran, Marine."

"Julie!" Elizaveta squealed waddling in with Roderich and Hartwig on his hip. "This is Felicia, in case you didn't get the memo, Mrs. New York Rangers."

"You should be on bed rest," Aldric and Ludwig said at the same time, shooting a look at Roderick and bustling to the pregnant mother's side.

"What are you thinking bringing her when she was under strict orders?" Ludwig scowled his brother.

Roderick set his son down, "She was the one who insisted. Besides it's Julie and Lizzie, they could commit an art theft and a murder together without getting caught. Besides you've seen her when she has a pan."

Elise stumbled to her sister-in-law, "Hun, let's get you to a couch. And don't listen to them, you can be out as long as you don't do anything too heavy."

"Margaritas?" Juliane questioned playfully. "Virgin?" she added quickly at Vash's and Ludwig's disapproving looks.

"Thanks, Julie," Elizaveta sighed letting Elise lead her. "Can we go by the pool? I need some sun or I'll look a vampire."

* * *

Aldric remained in the kitchen as the rest of the family conjoined around the pool in the back, vigorously cleaning. A stress reliever.

Ludwig stood in the door way, nursing a bottle of beer. But there was only so much a son could take in, "Vati, you need help?"

"Why don't you ever bring anyone home? No one will care if-"

"Vater!" Ludwig held up a hand to stop Aldric. "We've had this conversation. I work. A lot. It's hard to meet girls… and guys. I know they won't care what gender I bring home. Besides, don't start with me because you won't fight with Juliane."

Juliane wanders in and the smile that painted her face fell, "Oh."

"Oh?" Ludwig mocked. "Stop avoiding each other and talk."

He backed out of the room.

"We should probably have a lot to say to each other." Juliane said with a shrugged and comes closer.

"I should've cleaned the oven first." Aldric spins around.

"You don't want to talk?" she's offended. "Really? Dad, what kind of relationship is that?"

"It's the only relationship we know right now, Juliane." Aldric admits. "Since you refused to practice and decided to be a stay at home housemaid for this hockey player I hardly know my daughter."

"Because, Vati, you never tried to get to know me. Mat is a nice guy, he takes care of me, and I love him. Dad, I love him." It's the most vulnerable she's been since she moved out. "And all I ask is that while I'm here is that you try. Not for me but for Elise and Ludwig."

"It is important to him," Aldric relented watching out the window at his family.

* * *

"Vash, you wanna do something?" Ludwig asked.

Vash closed the fridge and sat at the bar, "I'm having a beer, join me."

Elise draped herself on the island, toeing the tiles with her pump, "It's such a relief when he's asleep."

"So, Julie and vati, not a disaster?" Roderick questioned, steeling Vash's beer.

Juliane took the beer next, "I think he's planning a sneak attack."

"You didn't bring your muscle," Elizaveta added. "What's going on with Mathieu, huh?"

"Anything you want to tell us, Julie?" Elise finished.

Elizaveta and Elise were the only people in the family that knew the extent of Mathieu and her relationship. As far as the men of the family knew, she was still living alone in New York that Mathieu spent frequent nights at when he didn't have practice or a game. They were the only ones that openly supported her relationship. Aldric just hated the thought of her relying on anyone else, Roderick wasn't too happy that he choose a questionable career for a secure one, Vash hated anyone who touched his sisters and Ludwig was sickened at the thought of her dated someone his age.

Elizaveta had never seen Juliane look at anyone the way she looked at Mathieu and Elise was a hopeless romantic who believed that if anyone could make Juliane stay for as long as she had was the one.

"No." she stared straight at Roderick. "What did you tell them?"

"Nothing."

"No, nothing." Vash said. "We like him."

Juliane tilted her head in a way everyone knew said "bullshit", "Really?"

"It's you with him, I'm not happy with." Vash revealed. "He's self-involved, that's all."

'_Bullshit_,' "That's not true."

Elise bit her lip, "Jul, we had dinner in New York last year, he chose the restaurant, the wine. You didn't really have a say, it's like "Where's Julie?""

"Not true, I love that restaurant. It was our first date and if you guys don't like him, I can't make you. But at least by happy for me because if… Mat's the type of guy that won't let me choose him over my family."

Juliane thought about last year when the Kirkland-Bonnefoy family got together. How Arthur and Francis would dance around the kitchen, sharing touches and smiles, and Francis going behind Arthur's back to double check everything his partner touched. Alfred throwing a baseball on the balcony with his brother, speaking in hushed tones and laughter. Then at dinner how Mathieu asked his family wait a moment while Juliane prayed. Arthur was Anglican, Francis was Catholic, Alfred and Mathieu were non-religious as result.

"Besides it doesn't help when you're convinced he's going to be waiting for you at the hotel." Roderick said taking the beer back.

"You ass."

* * *

Juliane stopped outside the door of her hotel room, supporting herself on the door frame to remove her heels. She senses someone walking down the hall and looks up, "Maty?"

"A little birthday surprise." The blonde said lifting the wine bottle he was carrying. "I figured you'd already figured out I'd come and surprise you. But I wasn't expecting you to be here this earily."

"Oh, well," Juliane wrapped Mathieu's shirt and brought him closer. "Vash set me off and I had to get out of there."

"That's why after this week, I booked us a suite on Lanai in Hawaii."

Juliane tilted her head with a pout, "Mat, the sun-"

A smirk showed, "Who said we have to leave the suite? But if you really don't want to go then we could just head back to New York."

"No, no, no. Its far away from my family and I get to be alone with you."

"Then let's go inside." Mathieu said pulling a key card out from his pocket.

"How exactly did you get that?"

"I told the front desk, my wife was here on business over her birthday and I was going to surprise her… and I may have had to give an autograph and take a picture."

"She didn't kiss you, did she?" Juliane asked.

"I did nothing you wouldn't do."

"I would have kissed her," she said pulling her boyfriend into the room with her.

* * *

"New case," Aldric said tossing several files onto the conference table.

It takes a while.

"Homicide?" Vash asked placing the file on the table.

"With an ax? And she remembers nothing?" Roderick said with raised eyebrows. He moved the file into a single hand, leaned back into his chair and waved his hand for emphasis. "Because killing your husband just slips your mind? They got the evidence."

"Prints on the weapon," Ludwig began with Vash in the finish. "Blood on the clothes."

"It really doesn't look good," Roderick closed his file.

Ludwig fixed his father with a stare, "This is over our heads. A high profile homicide, she did it."

"We've never done a homicide." Vash said. "Criminal law isn't our strength, Ludwig's right."

"Alright, it's settled." Aldric leaned forward. "Roderick and Ludwig will take the Thomas case; Vash, you'll handle the French Bristo."

"I don't like it," Roderick injected. "Publicity is good and I don't mind losing but high profile losing… It won't be good for the firm. I suggest we refer it out."

"No," Vash snapped. "Vati, said you and Ludwig because you can do the case. I can't and just because you don't agree doesn't mean you can't win this."

Ludwig put his pen down, "Are we sure we even want this case?"

"Why shouldn't we?" Aldric asked.

The boys had no answer.

* * *

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Julaine announced coming into Ludwig's office.

Roderick glanced back over his shoulder, "Are you coming to questioning?" he looked back at Ludwig. "Is she coming to meet the client?"

"Client? What client?" she looked at Roderick than at Ludwig. "You told me there wasn't any big case."

Ludwig tossed his hands up, "There wasn't until Mrs. Courtney Thomas decided to kill her husband last night."

Juliane's head jerked forward slightly, tilted in question and rolled her eyes to land back on her older brother, "Homicide?... You're working a homicide case?"

"She murdered her husband. No witnesses, no one else was in the house, no sign of breaking and entering, evidence is against us." Ludwig laid of the facts.

"So, she killed him?" Juliane asked wanting to get to the point.

"With an ax." Roderick added nonchalantly.

"Oh," she faked shock. "So, this is a high profile lost cause?"

Both brothers nodded.

"But vati thinks you guys can win this?" she pressed.

Both brothers nodded.

She breathed deep and gave a sharp exhale, "Than I think you should take this."

"What!?" Ludwig actually stood up.

"Because, although I'm not happy with our father doesn't mean he has poor judgment. He wouldn't have accepted the case if he didn't think she was innocent."

"Or publicity."

Juliane shifted her weight to her feet and a thought came with a wide smile, "I have to make a call."

"What are you doing?" Roderick asked. "Who are you calling?"

"At the hotel, I have a hot hockey star who has a criminal law degree from NYU."

"NO!" Ludwig slammed his hands down on his desk.

Not that his older sister ever listen to what he had to say.

* * *

"Who thought bringing him would be a good idea?" Vash paced the floor of the conference room, pointing at the outsider that sat just down the table. "We can handle this without his help."

"But better safe than sorry." Juliane argued. "And none of you really studied in criminal but Mat did."

"Not in practice." Aldric pointed out. "Roderick and Ludwig can handle it just fine."

"And if you can't?" Juliane hissed. "It's a high profile. Losing means big losses and that's something that shouldn't show on track records."

Elise swung the doors open, stumbling in and throwing herself into a chair, "Good luck winning this case without some help…" her eyes shifted across the room as her family waited on more information. "Barginski & Baltic were asked to take this case."

Ludwig choked on his water, Vash tumbled to a stop, and Roderick pinched the bridge of his nose and Juliane's jaw dropped while Aldric looked wildly unhappy. Mathieu was lose to the history between the firms.

"Barginski?" Mathieu asked. "As in Sofia, Ivan and Natalya Barginski with Toris Laurinaitis and Eduard von Bock? I went to school with Ivan."

"Well," Vash started finding a seat. "Sofia von Bock, now. Big wedding. Lawyers across the valley talked about it for a long while. They're big names for criminal court."

"Did you not just hear him? He went to school with Barginski, there for he also went with Natalya, we could use that."

Mathieu's mouth opened and he swam around for words, "Look, Ivan and I were friends. We were on the ice together and instead of accepting the draft to leagues he wanted to ensure that his family finance was secure… And I'm kind of out of practice, if you will."

* * *

Ludwig, Juliane, Mathieu and Roderick stepped out of the building. Juliane clutched at Mathieu's sweater and held a folder to her chest.

"I need a drink," the Ranger member said with an exhausted drag. "Look, I'm about to meet some of the Kings-"

Juliane leaned back toward Roderick, "LA Kings."

"-do you want to come along?"

"If there's beer." Ludwig said. "But we need to meet the client. So maybe another time hockey star, you're helping on this case."

* * *

Marie Thomas's voice was cracked, tired and the grey blue holding suit made her appear pale and older than her age.

Ludwig, Roderick, Juliane and Mathieu stood in a group some ways away as the guard gave Marie the rundown of the meeting.

"I think Roderick should lead the charge," Juliane said, her hand gripping Mathieu's arm. "He is going to be first chair."

"But Mathieu if the one with the criminal law degree, he knows the ground to cover." Roderick pointed out pushing Mathieu toward the window.

He stood there shocked, looking back at the members of the Beilschimdt-Edelstein-Zwingli family before getting himself in line.

"Hello, Mrs. Thomas, I'm Mathieu Bonnefoy; I'm with Bedlina Law firm working on your case. I just need you to tell me everything you remember from last night,"

"I don't remember." She said barely over a whisper.

"Anything?" Mathieu pressed.

"I… I just remember going to bed," she took a hard breath in. "Then I wake up and I'm outside and a police officer is leading me back in. And he was there. Dead." She covered her mouth.

"Was he there when you went to bed?"

She shook her head, "No, he must have come home after. He normally did." She met Mathieu's eyes, "I suffer from blackouts. I must have done it."

"Have you ever been treated for this?"

"Yeah, my psychiatrist has me on medication."

Mathieu looked over his shoulder and motioned for a notepad, "I'll need the name of your doctor."

"Doctor Joe Anderson, he's at the Doctor's Park in LA."

"Alright," he wrote it down. "Now, was there anyone else in the house with you? Anyone else you might live with you?"

"No," she shook her head. "Our daughter, Ally, is at Penn State… Ally, does she know?"

"Ah, only we know right now but we can get in contact with her. Is there anything else you can tell us?"

"Mr. Bonnefoy, I must have done it. I don't remember killing him but I remember swinging the hatchet."

* * *

Juliane gets back from the bathroom and rejoins her family and Mathieu at the bar.

"I ordered you Ice Wine," Mathieu stated pointing to the glass on the counter.

"Oh, and what's the story behind this one?" she asked leaning toward him.

Mathieu looked at her brothers, "Normally she gets her own drinks but there are times when I order them for her. Those are the times that I give her a little history tale to go with them-"

"I never thought drinking would be boring," she added reaching for the glass neck and pausing. "Birdie?"

"Ice wine, or Eiswein, originated in Germany but only Ontario has a climate cold enough to have a production every year." He watched her fish the ring out from the bottom. "It's made from grades that natures has frozen to make a rich golden liquid that's highly concentrated and very sweet in flavor." He took the rind from her and took hold of her left hand. "When I heard about this I thought it was definitely something to work into a proposal… From Germany-" he smiled and moved his hand slightly toward her. "To Canada…" slightly toward himself. "Will you marry me, Juliane Gillian Maria Beilschmidt-Edelstein-Zwingli?"

She bit her lip, a blush heavily appearing, "I will, Mathieu Williams-Jones-Kirkland-Bonnefoy." She pulled her hand back as he was about to slide the ring on. "You asked my vati, right?"

"Not that it would really matter because I would have asked you anyways." He answered. "My father raised me as a gentleman, so yes, I did. He might have thrown a vase at me before we left the office so watch were you step."

"Did he just propose to our sister?" Roderick asked.

Ludwig nodded, "Ja." He raised his beer and looked at the bottom before setting the object down. "Now they are making out and I need another drink."

* * *

The next day the family is back in the Beilschmidt home for dinner. Elise making conversation with Mathieu and trying to get Vash as involved as possible.

Across the table, Juliane took in Ludwig's eyes shifting sharply at the kitchen where they see the shadow of their father cleaning vigorously at the counter. Julaine rolled her neck back but gave up and got up.

"I'm sorry if things got a little tense at the office today." She started when she approached Aldric.

"Oh," Aldric looked at his daughter before ducking his eyes back down at the spot he scrubbed. "Small spaces."

She bounced on her feet slightly, rubbing her ring finger, "I want to marry him."

"That's great, isn't it? It doesn't matter. I'm sure you'll make the right decision."

"If he does propose, you don't get an opinion, dad." She bit sensing the displeasure in the senior president's voice.

"Juliane, I'm trying." He slammed the rag on the counter. "So hard."

"Yeah, I'm sure you're bending over backward to be polite to him!"

Mathieu glances at the kitchen doorway, they're muffled but the whole room can tell that they're arguing, "I should probably and go save her."

"No, no, you don't want to get involved and their fights." Elise said trying to keep Mathieu in his seat.

He looked at her before shaking his head and getting up.

"He has balls," Elizaveta muttered across the table to Roderick. "I'll give him that."

"Did you not hear what he said in the conference room today!? Ivan gave up hockey for his family. "Why didn't he choose financial security over whatever the hell he does?"

"My father is an English professor at Princeton, he's from a very detailed English background. If you were wondering, Mr. Beilschmidt." Mathieu said entering the kitchen and standing not too far from Juliane. "My papa is a chef, French descent, and they're exact opposites but they work… They taught me and my brother that sometimes choosing to do what you love is better than doing what you thought you wanted.

"When drafters came to our senior game, Ivan threw the chance and pursued law in Michigan but I didn't. Before the game we sat in the locker room and talk about what would happen at whatever choice we made. Ivan wanted a brighter future for his family, better than the one he had in Russia and I on the other hand-

"I didn't have everything but I grew up knowing what love was." He looked at Juliane. "So when I saw those agents in the stands, I knew that I was going to make those slap shots and I was going to do it because it made my heart race and put a smile on my face."

"So you feed that to my daughter? She had a bright future in front of her, she was going to be a doctor and you decided that she should '_follow her heart'_?"

Juliane shook her head, "No, I saw the type of relationship he had with his parents and you might not understand that, but I wanted that, so I followed."

* * *

The dining table was crowded, everyone had refilled their wine. Although Ludwig's eyes were twitching for a beer, but he was going to get through this dinner first.

"To Juliane, Julie, and with some trepidation I forgive you and you're no longer grounded."

Elise leaned over to Mathieu, "She and Lizzie had something to so with cigarettes and surf wax-"

"-and shoplifting and a boy named Pablo." Roderick added. "And as far as I'm aware Elizaveta is still grounded."

"House arrest and everything." Elizaveta joked sharing a smile with her husband.

"Pablo?"

"And now that every time I associate a face with that name, it's a squid." Juliane laughed.

"To my older sister," Elise said tilting a glass. "She ate all my Girl Scout Cookies when I was seven. To which I'm still waiting for the money."

"I paid you back. But if you insist Mat has the money."

Juliane took a sip of her drink as her father stood for his speech.

"I may violently disagree with the paths my daughter makes but I've never stopped loving her for a second. Happy birthday, Julie." Aldric said. "We fight but it's not the end of the world. I just want my girl to come home."

Juliane smiled at the nickname. Something he hadn't called her in a while, "Thank you."

* * *

The family around the table is laughing and regaling stories from their past. Mathieu seems relax and is videotaping the moment; it makes Juliane smile in the background.

"What was her last name?" Vash asked Ludwig.

"Jessical. She was a hottie, wasn't she?" Roderick answer getting a slap on the arm from his wife.

Elise looks between Mathieu and Juliane, "For what it counts, I like him."

"Who wants to play "Would you Rather?"" Ludwig asked wanting to change the subject. "Anyone?"

"We are not-"

Roderick's phone rings and everyone jumps, "It's just the psychologist…" he stood up. "Let me set up an appointment real quick."

"Mathieu," Elizaveta asked catching the boy's attention. "Would you rather have a railroad spike permanently in your head to take public transportation for the rest of you life?"

"The spike." He answered without hesitation.

* * *

"No, it's fine, I have my computer right here."

Roderick opens his laptop in the kitchen and opens the window with his email. A couple of new ones had come in but the one that catches his attention is the finances from the firm, "Ah, I'm sorry, Dr. Anderson, could I call you back tomorrow… No something just came up."

He reads through it quickly, "What have you done, vati?"

* * *

Aldric is outside with Hartwig, trying to show his grandson the planets, "See that one? It's Mars, the God of War."

He shifts his free arm uncomfortably.

* * *

"Has anyone seen dad?" Roderick asked coming back into the room.

"By the pool with Hartwig," Juliane answered.

"Cake time!" Elise announced bouncing back into the dining room with Ludwig following with Juliane's cake.

"Mama!"

Ludwig and Elise look out the door before the cake slips and everyone his running outside.

Aldric is in the pool, facing down.

Ludwig grabs Hartwig by the shoulders and turns him away as Roderick and Vash run to nose dive into the pool. Mathieu leaves Juliane's side when she gets to Hartwig, he's rounding the pool with Ludwig to help pull their father out of the pool.


	3. Reading into It

**Unknown**

* * *

It's been a week and Juliane was still numb. In fact it seemed like the whole world was on pause for the whole family. Of course, Mathieu cancelled their spot in Lanai and stayed with her through the whole thing, he worked with Roderick and Ludwig on the Thomas case that was won. Elise was getting her school work emailed from friends until she could reschedule another flight out.

The next couple days after the funeral Roderick and Vash were packing Vati's things to put them into storage until someone had the heart to sale them or throw them away.

"There's no escaping him in this house," Juliane said as Ludwig came in for another box.

He chuckled and looked at the box in front of him, "No, there never was."

"I lived in New York. I barely saw…" she rubbed her lips together, her voice cracking in the slightest volumes. "Why do I miss him this much?"

"It's only been a week, you should miss your dad."

"A week…" her eyes trail to an unknown corner. She had a life in New York, a life she wanted to start with Mathieu… Now, she wasn't so sure if she could leave. "God."

"Are you sure you want to stay here, Julie?" Ludwig asked shifting to lean on the table in the middle of the foyer.

"Yeah," Juliane said straight off. "Yeah," the second sounding like she was trying to convince herself. "You guys need me… I… I have so much stuff to go through."

"I know you do," Ludwig said picking up another box. "I wonder what Mathieu's getting in the break-up."

Juliane fixed her brother with a watery look, "We are not broken up, Lutz. He has to get back to New York for the season and I need my family."

"Sure, that's why you're moving back in." he said leaving his sister alone.

* * *

Vash walks into the kitchen where Elise is stripping strawberries for lunch. He stood around for a moment watching the baby of the family.

"Any plans for this afternoon?" he asked after she had caught him staring.

She smiled and looked up at the ceiling, "You know, it's so funny, big brother," she looked back him. "The minute the funeral was over and every moment since has contained a variety of: Are you keeping busy? Are you filling your days? Are you moving on? Or something to distract you?" she snatches a rag from the counter to wipe her hand, clearly annoyed.

Vash paused in opening a water bottle, his eyes shifting, he's cautious of his words now, "Are you?"

"Yes," she answered harshly. "Yes," she said the second softer. "Sometimes," she finally admits. "Other times it's very quiet." She's picking up the strawberries and placing them into a bowl still looking at Vash. "But Julie is moving back, that's…" she gets softer than before. "…Great, I'll have somewhere to fly in and visit for the holidays." Elise stops and approaches him. "I have this idea, maybe I should move back too, than the house would really be moving again."

Vash gives her a wide eye look in shock. He's waiting for the punch line.

"I'm kidding, of course!" she says after she let him suffer.

"Oh, God, don't do that, Lilli. Don't joke about dropping out of school." He scowled her.

She looks down, "Actually, big brother, I was thinking of transferring to a local school. Maybe UCLA, I can continue Pre-Law and Medicine there."

The door opens and interrupts any answer Vash would give.

He glanced down at his watch, "Wow, Roderick is early. What happen client cancel that conference call?"

"Ha, ha. Hey, Lilli," he greeted her with a hug. "Actually they decide to settle so I came over here to check up on our girl… Have you packed Dad's office yet? I need some contacts from his address book."

"Top drawer, his office," Ludwig answered walking in. "But before that you two can help finish putting boxes in the back of the car."

"Thanks," Roderick rushes off.

"Help me with boxes?" Ludwig asked again but his brother is gone. "Later? Okay. I'm fine, by the way, just carried the original Federalist papers down a long flight of stairs." He pulled another bottle of water from the fridge. "By the way, Lilli, maybe you should get back to school."

"I can't do that to Julie. Dad's gone and Mathieu's back in New York, who's going to keep her company while she sorts herself back together?" Elise explained as she went to the lunch.

"Who's helping you?"

Elise didn't answer right away, "_The family exist for many reasons, but it's most basic function may be to draw together after a member dies_. Stephen King."

* * *

Roderick is sitting at Aldric's desk, flipping through the pages until his in the Os. He pauses on one with the name "Berwald Oxensteirna" on the top. He rips it out and folds it into his pocket.

* * *

Outside a quiet house, on a quiet street Roderick is camped out in his car. Across the street a sliver Volvo Sedan pulls up into the driveway. It's a small man that steps out, reaching back in to pull a computer bag over his shoulder. The front door opens and a taller man is walking outside in tailored suit. He welcomes the other with a half hug and a kiss at the top of his head.

Roderick questions himself briefly before opening his car door. He had to do this for his family.

The small man is walking around the car to the passenger side while the taller one is opening the back. Inside is a boy around Hartwig's age. The smaller man sees Roderick approach.

"B," he called, jerking his head in the direction. He gripped the strap to the bag tighter.

The taller, B, stood the boy asleep on his hip. Cold blue eyes fix Roderick shortly. Roderick might have doubted his theory if it hadn't been for those eyes. The same ones Vash and Ludwig and the same ones Hartwig even had. Anyone else's would be softer.

"Hi, I'm Roderick Edelstein." He introduced himself.

B nodded, "T'no, t'ke P'ter."

Tino came back around the car as quickly as he could, reclosing the passenger and shifting Peter from one person to the other humming at his discomfort.

"''m B'rwald," B said holding out a hand. "Th's 's my w'fe-"

"Husband." Tino corrected quickly, looking at Roderick with a hurried look. "Husband. I'm his husband."

"-T'no 'nd 'ur s'n, P'ter."

"I saw your name in my dad's address book." Roderick said as Tino retreated.

Berwald nodded, "W' w'rked 'n a c'se t'gether."

"He has some money transferred into an account for you." Roderick added. "And you're listed as a beneficiary."

"I w's w'ndering wh're 't c'me fr'm." he said sternly. "'s f'r th' 'ther, w' w're 'nly b'siness 'ssociates. I 'ssure y'u."

"Well," Roderick stepped forward. "I don't think so. I think you know something that I don't and when it messes with my family…"

Before he could say anything less he turned away.

* * *

Roderick had called the family into the conference room, and everyone is waiting silently as they wait for Aldric's Will to be read.

"You've got you're bad news face on," Juliane pointed out after a while, pulling her thumb from her lips.

"No, I don't."

Elise nodded, "This is like when Vati had you sent in to tell me that Juliane was moving out."

"Yeah, let's just get this show of the road. I really don't have time for this shit." Juliane not willing to revisit that memory. "This isn't going to be like that, right?"

"Don't ask me that."

* * *

"Last thing to be address is the line of succession at Bedlina." Roderick said after a long hour. "He asks that Väinämöinen is put on as Chief Financial Officer." He looks at Ludwig and Vash.

"Who's Väinämöinen?" Elise questioned.

"He's in accounting," was all Vash gave up although no one knew what Aldric was playing at.

"Vash and I are to become senior partners and Ludwig as Vice president." He paused. "The entire trust is then passed on, equally to all of us."

* * *

Ludwig set a tape recorder on the edge of his desk, his client watched him happily, "I'm not very smart but even I could see it was fraud."

"And how exactly did you find out there was fraud taking place, Mr. Vargas?" Ludwig wrote down some notes.

"Whenever I get bored I listen on the salesmen's calls." The client added with a bright smile. "And I eat a lot of pasta, just can be just as much fun."

"And what did you hear?"

"2000 senior citizens from Needles, California, being sold fra- frog-"

"Fraudulent?" Ludwig supplied.

"Yeah," Feliciano Vargas smiled even brighter. "Fraudulent insurance."

More notes and a glance up, "That many?"

Feliciano still kept a small smile as a knowing fact clicked in his brain, "You're into guys."

"Did anyone ever ask you to lie?" Ludwig asked.

"You're gay," Feliciano practically cheered.

Ludwig stopped and looked at Feliciano leaning in.

"These guys have lawyers that will shred you," Ludwig tried to divert the conversation.

The client shook his head, "I'm not being prepped anymore til you admit you're gay."

Ludwig stopped the recorder and leaned back, playing with his pen, "Okay, I'm not gay. I'm bisexual."

"So does that mean you're in the closest?" the auburn asked. "Because my brother, Romano, told me that bisexual just means you're too scared to say who you love." Feliciano rabbled on jumping up from the seat across from Ludwig. "He keeps telling me it doesn't matter in this day and age."

"No, I'm not hiding my sexual identity and I'm proud. And I'm bisexual."

"I think you're trying to pass because you don't like talking about it." Feliciano commented not any less than he was moments before. "And the picture of you and the girl, you're girlfriend? She's pretty."

"Ex." The blonde corrected in a snappish matter.

"So," he picked up another one. "The brunette must be another girlfriend… I'm sorry, ex."

"No, she was a friend at Harvard." Ludwig set his pen down. "I'm having a not so great day, if that matters to you, so can we just get this done?"

* * *

Roderick and Vash take a trip to Accounting, smiling at and accepting apologies that were still came.

Roderick paused just down the way were a small blonde with chocolate eyes was returning to his cubical with new prints. For a second the deva ju hit when the blonde bent to type something into his desktop.

"Roderick," Vash hissed at his brother.

The violet eyed man met Vash's and like an unspoken promise the blonde knew something was up and Roderick was definitely going to be talking about it.

The brunette cleared his throat when they reached the cubical, "Mr. Tino Väinämöinen?"

The chocolate eyed male looked and snapped up, "Good morning, Mr. Edelstein." There was a moment between them when Tino recognized him from the other day. "Mr. Zwinli."

"Good morning." Vash responded. "Väinämöinen? That's Baltic, right?"

Tino shook his head, "Its Finnish and it's Oxenstierna. I got married during my time here."

Roderick nodded, "Well, congratulations and need to pack up your things and follow us up stairs."

He looked surprised and then terrified, "May I ask why? I do my job, I've never caused trouble. My husband and I just adopted-"

"Mr. Väinämöinen, we want to show you to your new office." Roderick calmed him down. "Our father asked us to place you as Chief of Finance."

* * *

Feliciano walked out of Ludwig's office with a bouncing step and jumped right into the platinum blonde walking by, "I'm sorry, I'm a virgin!" he shouted, holding his hands up in surrender.

Juliane started laughing hard and stumbling to her brother with tears as Feliciano ran down the hall at full speed.

"Don't you dare ask me about that one; not about that one," Ludwig stated frowning at Juliane's loud laughter.

"Yeah, I came here right after Vash text." She explained taking off her black rims glasses to wipe the tears from his eyes. "Anyways, where is he? He just told me to come in."

"I'm assuming his office, if not than he's with Roderick. Why? What's going on?"

Juliane gave the smirk that only Ludwig knew meant she was keeping something from him, "Lutz, you just need to let the grownups talk."

"But if this is important, shouldn't I be there?"

She fixed her brother with the same look she did when it was time to act like an older sister instead of a simple sibling, "Ludwig, there are some things that we want to protect you from; at least until the time is right to tell you."

Ludwig let her walk past without pressing further into it.

"And, Lutz," she called. "If it was really that important I'd tell you."

* * *

The blonde chocolate new Chief Finance Officer bustled around his new spacious office with his cell phone.

"So, he seems to be happy about the promotion." Juliane observed from Roderick's office. "Who's he on the phone with?"

"Probably his husband." Vash answered.

Juliane shook her head and turned her attention to their older brother, "So you think that his husband has something to do with the missing money?"

"I know he has something to do with it. He got the payment from the case they worked on together and he still received the minimum of $800 each month for the last fifteen years."

"Then why has it only been showing up damages now," Juliane inquired sitting herself on the edge of his desk. "If this firm as a serious cash flow problem than we need to know why."

"It's been showing up for years now," Roderick told them sliding the paperwork toward her. "And that guy," he pointed to Tino. "Has done a one hell of a job because it's his reports that have been showing the money loss. Tino was hired almost five years ago and that was when it began showing up."

"Its embezzlement, is it not, and the new CFO's husband might have something to do with it."

"Berwald Oxenstierna received some money upon vati's death but he wasn't listed in the Will." Roderick continued. "What I need to find out is why vati would give money to guy he's only met that once."

"Or maybe there's more than to the picture?" Vash pointed out. "We're missing something because he wouldn't have given money to a random stranger."


End file.
